Unveiling the Bioactive Potential of Mimosa Pudica and Barleria Cristata: An Integrated in Vitro and in Silico Approach

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Mimosa pudica Linn., Barleria cristata Linn., and their combined leaf extract. The dried leaves were powdered and extracted by cold maceration using 70% ethanol. Three formulations were prepared: M. pudica extract (F1), B. cristata extract (F2), and a combined extract containing equal proportions of both plants (F3). The percentage extract yields were 13.6%, 14.8%, and 16.2% for F1, F2, and F3, respectively, with F3 showing the highest yield. Preliminary phytochemical screening indicated the presence of various bioactive constituents, including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic, tannins, carbohydrates, proteins, steroids, terpenoids, saponins, and glycosides. In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay. The combined formulation showed significant concentration-dependent antioxidant activity, with 83% inhibition at 15 mg and an IC₅₀ value of 16.45 mg, compared with 10.20 mg for ascorbic acid. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by the agar well diffusion method against Escherichia coli. F1 and F2 showed inhibition zones of 11 mm and 7.4 mm, respectively, whereas F3 demonstrated the highest inhibition zone of 13.5 mm. Molecular docking studies were also performed to investigate the potential antibacterial interactions of L-mimosine with selected bacterial protein targets. Overall, the findings suggest that the combined extract of M. pudica and B. cristata possesses promising antioxidant and antibacterial properties and may serve as a potential source of bioactive compounds for further pharmacological investigation.